The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are actively on the hunt for disgruntled Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leaders that were not renominated and did not find favour with ruling party supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in the list of candidates for 115 out of the 119 Assembly constituencies announced two days ago.
The exercise to lure the unhappy BRS leaders into their respective party folds has not fructified yet. The Congress and the BJP leadership expected a mass exodus of leaders from the ruling party over to their side in the wake of the list’s announcement. But, that does not seem to be the case, as leaders of some standing and MLAs who failed to make it into the list have not yet clarified their position. Some have held meetings with their supporters but refrained from taking any drastic action like quitting the party.
Two days since the release of the BRS list, the only sign of any open rebellion is from Khanapur MLA Rekha Naik, whose husband Ajmeera Shyam Naik joined the Congress party, sending a clear signal that she is also on her way to the join the party soon. Of the seven sitting MLAs who failed to get renominated, four have already reposed full faith in the leadership of party supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.
BRS sources maintain that Mr. Rao had conducted an elaborate exercise while finalising the candidates, preferring to retain a majority of the sitting legislators. While retaining the incumbent MLAs, the leadership held wide-ranging discussions with other strong aspirants and convinced them about alternative positions once the party came back to power. This, the leaders in the know of the consultations maintained, ensured that there was minimal uproar and dissension.
It is said that Ms. Rekha Naik would have got a renomination had she not met a top Congress leader sometime back with a doubt that she might be dropped. BRS sources said when some of the most controversial MLAs in Jangaon, Mancherial and Mahabubabad districts were renominated, it would not have been a problem for Ms. Rekha Naik too to get the ticket. Her interaction with a rival party leader is said to have irked the leadership.
Congress cautious
Congress leaders are still hopeful that there would be defections from the BRS over the next few weeks. “We have lined up a couple of joinings on August 26 at Chevella public meeting where the AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge will be present,” a senior TPCC leader told The Hindu. He pointed out that some disappointed BRS leaders and a couple of others from the BJP had sent feelers but the party was treading cautiously in terms of accommodating them.
“Those wanting to join the Congress want a firm assurance of getting the ticket, which the party can not give at this juncture. They have to first join us and wait,” a senior leader said, seeking anonymity.
Some leaders are wary of the possibility that the drive to lure rival leaders into the party fold could backfire. It could lead to a situation where the old-timers start to feel insecure enough to consider other options. Congress leaders nevertheless are identifying key second- and third-rung leaders of other parties in the constituencies in a bid to woo them as the election dates draw near.
BJP hopeful
The BJP is hopeful that it would be the party in demand for the disenchanted BRS leaders. The moment the BRS list came out, the BJP started scouting for the suitable leaders to be inducted into the party and also explored the scope of giving them tickets.
Even as finalisation of BJP tickets is likely to take more time, there are a few desertions, which is a cause for worry for the party. Its Bhadradri Kothagudem party chief Koneru Chinni quit the party to join the BRS and another State Executive member Vinay Reddy of Nizamabad district, too, tendered his resignation to the party post. The latter is likely to join the Congress shortly.
The political heat generated by the BRS first list is expected to continue for the next few weeks, putting the rival Congress and the BJP under pressure to announce its list and also poach rival leaders.
